Age 67, height 5.7, normal weight as young man: 9st 6lb
Following vast overindulgence in food and alcohol, weight at age 40: 14st, 6lb.
Current weight: 10st
1970s: Developed symptoms angina, night-blindness, visual disturbances, profuse night perspiration, thirst, frequent urination, loss of body hair on legs, some impotence, frequent headaches and migraine. Diabetes not diagnosed, but triple coronary graft open-heart surgery alleviated angina.
1980: I complained of frequent urination and tests discovered protein in urine. Internal examination of bladder gave negative results. Co-incidentally ultra-sound examination discovered aortic aneurism of 4.6cm (now 5.3cm).
1990: Routine examination following change of address, hence change of doctor, discovered ‘mild’ Type II diabetes. Given diet recommendations of much starch and fruit.
9th June 2000: With increasing headaches and unable to get clear dietary guidelines I discoverd via the web your book and purchased it. For the first time I had a clear explanaton, and immediately adopted a stringent version of your recommendations. No bread, spuds, fruit etc. I kept a record of symptoms using my only available test (i.e. Clinistix).
Initially the urine tests showed High gradually tapering off to Normal. Within 4 days my headaches disappeared and have not returned (I was taking 8 paracetamols every day; now none at all). No night sweating (previously I often had to change my pyjamas in the night!). There is one interesting side effect. Normally I am a fairly heavy wine drinker (with meals) and hitherto was (worryingly) impervious to hangovers. Now, if I drink more than my fair share, the next day I suffer very bad hangover effects. As a result I have now adopted a normal, modest regime of drinking.
I realize that the foregoing is unscientific and it could be said that the change in diet was coincidental. But surely such a dramatic change must have a cause?
To round off my health history: I lost an eye in my twenties. I have arthritis in my shoulders. I have gout. I have an aortic aneurism. I have some angina. But at last what I don’t have are incessant headaches: this is rather more than merely the alleviation of distress because the headaches had forced me to cease my intellectual activities, principally reading and computer programming, which I have now resumed. That is why I say: thanks Doctor Bernstein!
Peter Greaves
London, UK
